Project Boussh: Awakening
by Josh Nolan
Ooryl finished translating the Auberesh text scrolling on the datapad.
"Vickie discontinued pursuit of the B-Wing as it entered the
atmosphere."
Nick frowned.  "Brad opened fire on his wing, and Vickie thinks that's
okay?  What is going on with her?"
Ooryl shrugged.  "Ooryl knows that understanding Jedi is not always
easy.  Ooryl has been told that Ooryl's being Findsman is difficult to
understand, yet to Ooryl it is now natural.  Like Findsman, Jedi always
have reasons, though it may not be apparent."
Nick took another swig of his water bottle and peered up into the
afternoon sky, as if hoping to catch a glimpse of the dogfight, now many
hours past.  "I'm sure that's true of trained Jedi - but Vickie's only
just begun her training.  I can't help but think that maybe she's as
guilty of wishful thinking as Brad is of treason."
"Ooryl is sure that we will find out sooner or later."
"One way or another."
An Ewok ran up to the pair, and tugged on Ooryl's flightsuit.  "Yub,"
insisted the Ewok, "Yub, yub."  Nick turned to look at the Ewok, and his
eye was drawn towards the Ewok further away, aiming its blaster at Nick
suspiciously.  The Ewok near Ooryl skipped away nervously at Nick's
motion, yubbing scoldingly at him.
*It was so much easier when I kept them drugged,* thought Nick glumly.
*And when they didn't have blasters.*
Ooryl stood fluidly and followed the Ewok as it continued to yub at
him.  Nick pulled himself to his feet and trailed a few metres behind,
trying unsuccessfully to ignore the Ewok with the blaster.
The Ewok leading Ooryl drew him toward where the TIE fighter sat, its
metal hull at a scorching temperature in the November sun.  The bacta
tank containing Josh was positioned under the ball cockpit, in the
optimum position for shade.
As the Gand came closer to the bacta tank, its occupant waved.  Ooryl
stopped momentarily, surprised by the movement, then broke into a run to
reach the tank.  Josh watched the Gand approach, and swam to the top of
the tank, floating in anticipation.
Ooryl jumped onto the collar halfway up the tank, balancing there while
he prised the lid of the tank open, grinning madly.  Josh waited until
the tank was open, hauling himself up out of the bacta and ripping the
respirator off his face.  Ooryl helped the human climb out of the tank,
waiting until Josh was balanced on the open neck of the cylindrical
tank.
Josh sat there for a few moments, the sun starting to dry the bacta that
was still clinging to his skin, relishing the luxury of breathing actual
fresh air, not air that had been cycled through the bacta tank and
through the respirator.  He drew a deep breath, and laughed.
"Josh!  You're okay!" called Nick as he ran up to the tank, breaking
Josh's reverie.
"No I'm not, I'm a bloody ghost!" replied Josh as he swung himself off
the cylinder and landed lightly on the dry grass.  "And I'm a ghost
that's bloody hungry!"

"Somehow, I thought these would taste like dried gunk," Josh said,
chewing on a mouthful of ration bar.  "I don't mean to sound
insubordinate," he continued, hastily holding his hand up to Ooryl, "I
actually find that they're really delicious.  Nothing at all to do with
drinking bacta for the last couple of days."
Ooryl frowned.  "Ooryl has always found them to taste like dried gunk,"
he said, his eyes searching Josh's face.
"And since when have you worried about being insubordinate?" asked Nick,
cocking his head at Josh's turn of phrase.
Josh looked up at the two of them.  "What - am I being court-martialled
here?"
"No... you just seem to be acting a bit... strange."
Josh shrugged.  "Just because I'm in an unprofessional military, doesn't
mean *I* have to be unprofessional."
Ooryl shook his head, bewildered.  "What?"
Josh took another bite of the ration bar, and refused to answer.
Nick glanced at the bacta tank, then back at his flatmate.  "Did that
bacta dip... do anything to you, Josh?"
"Healed me.  Gave me a bit of time to think," Josh grunted, attacking
another ration bar.
Nick glanced around for Ewoks, then stood and walked over to where the
bacta tank sat, still bubbling.  Carefully, he put his ear to the tank,
and listened...

"...your life is only your own to sacrifice..."
"...superiors deserve your respect.  Failure to do so results in..."
"...there is no I in team.  There is no, 'I'm too wounded,' in team.
There is no..."
"...fear is a weapon of the enemy.  Destroy it, as..."